Submarine.



L. A.LAMAR..

SUBMARINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 19:7.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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L. -A. LAMAR.

SUBMARINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1911.

Patented July 2, 1918.

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LEONARD ALFRED LAMAR, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

SUBMABINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed April 2, 1917. Serial No. 159,287.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD A. LAMAR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Po-rtland;'in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a submarine and has for its principal object the production of a submarine wherein simple and efficient means is positioned thereon for facilitating the passage of the submarine through nets and like obstructions and for also increasing the speed of the submarine.

Another object of this invention is the production of a submarine wherein a rotatable sleeve is positioned upon the forward end of the hull of the submarine in such manner as to permit rotary motion to be imparted to the sleeve so as to cause a spiral fixedly mounted upon the sleeve to draw the submarine through a net or like obstruction and for also increasing the speed of the submarine.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a submarine wherein a movable observation tower is carried thereby in such manner as to permit the tower to extend above the hull of the submarine when the same is not encountering any obstructions but which can be lowered into the hull of the submarine when the submarine is passing through a net or like obstruction.

With these and other object in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the submarine as constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the forward end of the submarine showing the rotatable sleeve carried thereby;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the submarine a portion of the observation tower being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section through a portion of the submarine and the observation tower illustrating the raising and lowering means for this tower;

Fig. 5 is a. central vertical section through a portion of the hull of the submarine and the observation tower, showing the observatlon tower in a raised position;

Fig. (3 1s a transverse section through a portion of the hull ofthe submarine and the shell mounted thereon, showing the roller bearing race in elevation;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the roller bearing race showing one of the rollers in elevation and illustrating the manner in which the rear portion of the shell of the sleeve is supported upon the hull of the submarine;

Fig. 8 is a reduced section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that 1 designates in general the hull of a submarine which of course can be of any desired shape or size. This hull l is provided with the usual keel 2 and propeller 3 adjacent which is carried the rudder at.

The sleeve 5 is substantially conical in shape as illustrated clearly in Fig. 2 and this sleeve 5 is adapted to be positioned over the forward end of the hull 1 of the submarine since the forward end of the hull should be substantially conical in order to receive the sleeve 5 and to permit the sleeve to rotate therearound. The roller bearing course comprises a body 6 having spaced parallel flanges 7 extending therefrom and this body 6 is retained by rivets S in a fixed position within the sleeve 5. It will be noted that one of the flanges 7 is broader than the remaining flange 7 as illustrated in Fig. 7 so that the larger of the two flanges may engage the outer surface of the hull l of the submarine for preventing the passage of water into the interior of the sleeve 5. This roller bearing course iscircular and extends entirely around the hull 1 of the submarine as is evidenced by the construction shown in Fig. 6. The roller bearings 9 have pin 10 projecting from their ends and engaging the flanges 7 so as to cause the roller bearings to be held from wedging within the roller bearing race when the sleeve 5 is rotated. Since the roller bearings 9 fit upon the outer surface of the hull 1 of the submarine it is obvious that when the sleeve 5 is rotating the friction will be greatly reduced since these roller bearings 9 will ride evenly and prevent a frictional action upon the hull of the submarine.

The drive shaft 11 extends from the engine which propels the submarine and extends through the brace 12 carried within thehull 1 by the submarine as; shown Fig-2 whereby the drive shaft 11 will be sufficiently reinforced intermediate its ends. shaft 11 has its squared forward end 13 projec'tiiig beyond theforward end of'the-hull' 1 so as to engage the head 14. This head 14 is riveted as indicated at15 to the offset @01 liar 16 formed upon the forward end of the sleeve 5. It is therefore obvious that as the drive shaft 11 is rotated the squared forward end 13 thereof will impart rotary motion to assist in drawing the submarine through the water which action coupled with the propul sion of the-submarine by the propeller?) will increase the speed of the submarine. Furthermore the pointed head 14 when coining into engagement with a net or like obstruction will pierce the same so as to perm'it' the spiral 17 to pass into the opening thus for ned'into theobstruction and as the sleeve 5 rotates the spiral will act in a screw like manner for drawing the submarine through the net or other obstruction.- The increased size of the conical sleeve 5 will increase the size: of the opening whilethe spiral 17 will draw the submarine through theobstruction. I

The observation tower 18*is providedwi'th double walls 19 formed thereon asshown clearlyfin Figs. 4 and 5 so as to'provide chamber-s20 adjacent each side of the obser vation tower. This-observation tower 18 is provided with a curved top 21 which curves atsubst antially the same angle as the hull'l of the submarine so that when the observation tower is in alowered position the top 21 will fit snugly upon the outer surface of-the hull 1 of the submarine forpresentin gasubstantially even outer surface which will not strike into the surface through which the submarine is passing. It. is of course obvious that the observation'tower 18 maybe provided with side openings 22'clo'sed the glass quartz 23 held by the retaining frames 24 as illustrated clearlyin'Figjo. -Asthe walls .19 are provided with side openings22 in alinement'with the outer side openings a clear view'maybe obtained-upon either side 'of the observation tower; a I y In order to raise or lower this observation tower elongated racks 25' are carried upon the inner walls 19 within the ehaiab rs'ao. The platform 26positioned' within the hull 1 ofthe subma'rine carries"standards 27 chambers; 20-of the observation tower.

This drive which project into the lower ends 015 91 58 1e upper ends of the standards 27 are provided with journals 28 carrying, the stub axles 29 upon which pinions 30 are keyed in any suitable manner. These pinions 30 engage 'the racks 25 so that when rotary motion 1s 11n- 'pa1"ted'"to the pinions 30 the observation tower 18 will be either raised or lowered. Upon the stub 'axles' 29 are also keyed sprocket wheels 31 around whichpass the chains" 32, these'chains 32 also engaging sprocket wheels 33 carri'ed by the'shaft 34 connected to the gears 35. These gears 35" mesh with gears 36 of the driving motors 37 so that when the gears 36 arerotated' bythe motors 37' rotary motion will be'imparted'to the gears 35. As'the'gears 35 are rotated the sprockets 33 will'be rotated, thus'causing the 'chains 32 to drive the sprockets 31; As the sprockets 31' are driven rotaryunotion will be imparted through the stub axles 39 to the'pinions 30 so that these pinions 30 by acting upon the racks 35 will either raise or lower the observation tower; Under normal conditions this observation tower is in a raised position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 so as to permit the operators of the sub marine to easily direct theship." wev'er downward 'movement of the observation tower 18. When theobservation tower 18 movesdown'wardlyinto the interior of the submarine theftop' 21 may fitjsnugly'upon the outersurface'of the hull'l of the submarine so as to present a substantially e'ven' outer surfaceif'desired'orthe movement ofthe observation towerdo'wn'ward m'ay bedimited when the tower assumes the position illustrated'in Figs. 3 and5 thereby permitting the side openin'gstobe-sligh'tly above'the outer side of thehull l of the submarine.

It is offcourse obvious that anysuitable means other" than the means disclosed herein may be employed for raising andlowering the observation tower, such 'for" instance as gas, compressed air,' ste'am 'or manualpower, while the specific connections may "also be different without departing from the spirit ofthe invention since the piun'cipal'object in connection with'the'observation toweris the provision of a tower whichmayberaised or lowered as the occasion may require.

. Fromthe foregoingdescriptionit will be seen that a very efiicient submarine hasbeen disclosedwhich has a rotatable sleeve upon forward portion on which is mounteda spiral con'stru'cted so as" to increase the speed of the submarine and" also facilitate the drawing of. the" submarine through an obstruction while the observation tower may be normally in a raised position for facilitating the maneuvering of the ship by the operator thereof, although this tower may be moved to a lowered position for allowing the submarine to pass through an obstruction which could not be done if the tower remained in a raised position.

It is not desired to limit the construction of this invention to the specific form as herein shown, but to include all such forms of the device as properly come within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed, is

1. In a submarine of the class described, the combination with the hull, of a rotatable nose-sleeve mounted upon one end thereof, the inner end of the nose-sleeve terminating short of the middle of the hull, an annular roller bearing body secured within said sleeve at its inner end, said body provided with an outer annular flange engaging the outer face of the hull, constituting a closure for the compartment formed between the hull and the sleeve, roller hearings in said body, and each bearing engaging said flange, and means for imparting rotary motion to said sleeve.

2. In a submarine of the class described, the combination with a hull, of a nose-sleeve positioned upon one end of said hull, a roller bearing body between said hull and sleeve at the inner end of said sleeve, said body provided with outer and inner parallel flanges, said hull and sleeve having a compartment formed between the same, said outer flange of the roller bearing body closing the outer end of said compartment, said flange having its outer face in the same vertical plane with the inner end of the sleeve, the inner flange of the body being of less width than the distance between the hull and the sleeve for permitting any foreign substance to pass out of the roller bearing body and into the compartment formed between said hull and sleeve, bearings in said body, fastening means extending through a portion of the "body and through said sleeve for securing the bearing body in position at the extreme inner end of the sleeve, and

means for imparting rotary movement to said sleeve.

3. In a submarine, the combination with a hull, of a nose-sleeve on the front end of said hull, said nose-sleeve having its inner end terminating short of the central portion of the hull, a bearing device positioned between the hull and the sleeve, at the inner end of said sleeve, and the outer end of the bearin r device positioned in the same vertical p ane with the outer end of the sleeve, a compartment formed between the hull and the sleeve, the bearing device closing the outer end of said compartment, and means for imparting rotary movement to said sleeve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LEONARD ALFRED LAMAR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

